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(No Model.)

W. T. PEEL. A REGULATOR FOR DYNAMOS 0R MOTORS. No. 426,570. PatentedApr. 29, 1890.

WITNESSES: INVE/VTUI? W Wz'Za'amT P'acZ.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM T. PEEL, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JACOBR. STEINER, OF SAME PLACE.

REGULATOR FOR DYNAMOS AND MOTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,570, dated April29, 1890.

Application filed-July 12,1889. Serial No. 317,264. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that I, WILLIAM T. PEEL, a Citizen of the United States,residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Regulators forDynamo- Electrie Machines and Motors, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to the regulation of dynamo-electric machines andmotors, and the device which I have invented belongs to that particularclass of regulators in which a number of coils upon the field-magnets ofthe machines are cut in or out automatically to increase or decrease theintensity of the field of-force, or a resistance thrown into circuit toaccomplish the same thing.

The invention consists of the combination, with a series of immovablecontact-points representing the terminals of the sections on thefield-magnets or a series of resistances, of a contact-brush mounted ina peculiar manner and adapted to be moved over the surfaces of thecontacts by means of certain novel devices, which will now be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1represents a sectional View of the regulating mechanism, parts beingshown in elevation; and Fig. 2 represents an end or side elevation ofthe device.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A represents a circular base-platesupported in a stationary position by a bracket or any other suitablemeans. At the center this base-plate is provided with an opening and huba, and in a location off the center it is provided with a second openingand hub a. Upon the periphery of the base-piece, I secure in anysuitable manner a series of contact strips or pieces 1), representingand connected with the terminals of a series of resistances of the usualconstruction or of the field-magnet coils. These pieces are allinsulated from each other by being embedded in a ring Z) of insulatingmaterial. The pieces, however, may be socured in any other desiredmanner around the periphery, so long as they are properly insulated fromeach other and from the base-piecc.

B represents a disk or wheel mounted upon the end of shaft b which hasits bearing in the hub a. This disk stands concentrically against theface of the base-plate A. It is held in this normal position by a nutI), threaded onto the outer end of the shaft 12 The disk is providedwith an annular concentric groove b, which opens toward the baseplate A.The position of this groove is such that in the rotation of the disk itwill always be presented to the opening a in the baseplate. The shaft 0is mounted in the hub a. It is somewhat smaller than the opening in thehub, so that it may have a limited free lateral movement therein. Theshaft occupies an eccentric position with reference to the hub, theeccentricity being secured by the box 0', located at the outer end ofthe hub, as will readily be understood. Upon the inner end of this shaftis mounted a friction-roller 0 which projects into the annular groove1)" of the disk 13. The roller is made somewhat smaller than the widthof groove Z)", in order that it may move laterally therein and intocontact with either the inner or the outer wall of said groove. Theshaft is adapted to be driven at a uniform speed by any suitable motor,which may be geared to the pulley 0 On the outside of the disk B abracket (Z is secured, preferably to the periphery of the disk. Thisbracket has pivoted to it a lever (Z, carrying at one end acontact-brush (P, which is adapted to bear upon the contacts 1). Thepressure of the brush upon the contacts may be regulated by means of thescrew (1, passing through the outer end of the lever d and through athreaded hole in bracket (Z.

The eccentric c has attached to it an arm 0", which in turn is connectedwith the core of a solenoid magnet D through link 0 There is alsoconnected with the arm c a spring 0, which is arranged to counteract thepull of magnet D.

The operation of the regulator is as follows: Let us suppose that magnetD is in the main circuit of the machine to be regulated and that thecontact-picces b are connected with a variable resistance in the maincircuit or with the terminals of the coils upon the fieldmagnets of themachine. As the main circuit increases in strength, the magnet D pullsarm 0 downward and through the eccentric forces roller 0 against theouter wall of the groove 1) in disk B, thus causing the disk to partakeof a rotary motion communicated from the eonstantly-rotating shaft 0.The disk then will be rotated and the brush (Z carried around intocontact successively with the different pieces 1) until resistance isthrown into the main circuit, or sections of the fieldmagnets cut outsufficient to lower the work ing-current, at which time the magnet Dreleases the arm 0 and spring 0 forces roller 0 out of contactwith theouter wall of groove 12 and the disk B stops. YVhen the current becomesabnormally low, spring a overcomes magnet D and forces roller 0 again stthe inner wall of groove Z), and causes the rotation of disk B in thecontrary direction to what it was formerly rotated. This causes thereverse movement of brush (Z and either the resistances are graduallythrown out of the main circuit or else the sections of the field-magnetsare thrown into the circuit.

It will thus be seen that I have devised a very sensitive andsimple-acting regulator. The movement of the brush (Z will dependentirely upon the pressure of roller 0 against one or the other of thewalls of the groove Z), and also upon the strength of such pressure. Theslightest change in the strength of the main current will make acorresponding change in the pressure of the roller upon the disk B.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a regulator fordynamos or motors, a rotatable disk provided with two concentricfriction-surfaces and carrying a switch-arm adapted to move over aseries of contacts, a constantly-rotating friction roller mounted andadapted to vibrate between said two friction-surfaces, a movable bearingfor said friction-roller, and an electro-magnet or solenoid adapted tomove said bearing, whereby the roller is caused to move back and forthinto and out of contact with said friction-sin'faces, substantially asdescribed.

2. A regulator for a dynamo-electric machine or motor, consisting of adisk carrying a switch-arm, a series of contacts over which saidswitch-arm moves, the disk provided with an annular groove, acontinueusly-rotating friction-pulley located in said groove, andmechanism controlled by the main circuit for throwing saidfriction-pulley into contact with one or the other of the walls of saidgroove, for the purpose described.

3. A regulator for a dynamo-electric machine or motor consisting of adisk carrying a switch-arm, a series of contacts over which saidswitch-arm moves, the disk provided with an annular groove, acontinuously-rotating friction-pulley located in said groove, the sh att of said pulley being eceentrically mounted, and mechanism controlledby the main current for throwing said eccentric to move thefriction-roller into contact with one or the other of the walls of thegroove, for the purpose described.

4. The combination, with the circular basepiece A, having attachedaround its periphery series of contacts, a rotatable disk concentricallymounted therewith and carrying a contact-arm adapted to impinge uponsaid series of contacts, the disk being provided with an annular groove,a continuously-rotating friction-roller extending into said groove, andits shaft mounted eceentrically, as described, in said base-piece A, andmechanism controlled by the main current for throwing said eccentric tobring the roller into contact with one or the other of the walls of saidgroove, for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I have signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM 'l. PEEL. lVitncsses:

.TNo. V. I. Donn, JOHN II. BOWMAN.

